Not Another High School Drama!
by Kioji
Summary: It was her chance to shine, her moment in the lime light. And by damn, if she had to paint everything in that house pink, she would do it.
1. Oh God Pink

_I know what you're thinking, "Oh God, not another one of these Konoha High School drama fics...," but don't get veered away too soon. It's still in the original story line, and it's not that bad. Well, I at least hope so. lol. It is AUish, because for now I'm going to have to ignore Sasuke running away with his tail between his legs to that creepy snake guy. So, it's just after the Chuunin exams, after the Hokage is, er, well, you know, dead, and after the fifth is in office. _

_So, for now, pretend Sasuke didn't run off with the Sound bastards. _

_But don't think that issue is_ _not_ _going to come up in the story. Dude. Yeah. No OCness here, eitehr! (Well, besides teachers, but they don't count) Still in the Naruto universe! I don't expect it to be very long. _

_Enjoy! _

_Kioji _

_- - - - _

_PS. Rather interesting twist, too. Cookies for who figure it out!  
For those who do figure it out, don't worry, the story is NOT focused solely on that.  
It's just an added... bonus. Two major and different plot lines are hard to mesh together.  
Demons and ninjas don't mix well (hence, Naruto himself. lol).  
(by the way, that was a rather large hint)(in fact, there are LOTs of hints.) _

_

* * *

_

"This is so lame," Sasuke growled, picking at his uniform. Somehow, he thought the pink didn't fit him very well. The yellow stripe along the zipper didn't help much either. Having dark eyes and hair that complemented moon-shine skin, Sasuke figured he looked better in darker colors--more 'manly' colors. Wearing such a ridiculous outfit was killing him slowly, chipping away at his dignity and draining his pride. He almost thought the uniform had chakra draining capabilities. Why else would he feel so _dead_ wearing it?

He groaned and looked back at himself in the mirror. Once again, he flinched and looked away, the 'pink' image of himself burning its way into his brain. Inwardly, he found himself questioning _why_ he had to agree to such a _stupid_ mission. His thoughts flowed back to earlier that week...

_"Oh, mission! What is it, Baa-neechan?" Naruto held his hands behind his head, tottering on one foot to the next. Full of energy, the blond radiated enthusiasm. Sasuke glowered at him, annoyed. The other annoying one cleared her throat and asked for details. At least she's doing something useful, he thought sourly. _

_"Ok. I'll keep it simple. I want you three to go monitor a normal high school in one of the larger villages. There has been unusual reports coming from there, so you three will pose as students attending there and get the scoop. It's actually quite easy. So don't screw it up," she gave Naruto a pointed look. It was lost on him, however. _

_"What? That's all? Ah, come on! I mean, couldn't we--" _

_"No. This is your mission, you will accept it. No buts. Now, don't blow your cover, or I'll send you all right back to the academy. Now shut up and pack your bags. The school's principle is the one who commissioned us, so he'll have the crap ready for you," Tsunade flicked a hair off of her shoulder, apparently lost interest in the three genin in front of her. Sasuke scowled. _

_Sakura, puzzled, raised her hand and posed a question. _

_"Um, Hokage-sama? 'The crap'? You mean like uniforms and schedules, possible causes for the unusual reports, and--" _

_"Yeah, yeah, the crap. What are you still here for? Get going!" She pointed towards the door while reaching with her other hand into the desk's drawer for the sake. Team Seven trudged out of the room. _

Sasuke put his hand through his hair, wanting to go back in time and _kill_ himself so he wouldn't have to endure this torture. A pounding on the door alerted him to someone's presence.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun! Are you ready yet? We need to meet with the principle!" Sakura's cheery voice vibrated on his nerves, sending angry chills down his spine. Why she had that effect whenever he was around was lost on him. _Stupid Sakura. Always so... cheery. She doesn't have to wear pink! _

As he opened the door with an angry frown, he sucked in a breath.

Before him was Sakura, her hair pulled back into a spiky bun and a red school girl's uniform gracing her figure. She smiled and tugged at her skirt.

"Let's go! We're already late. Naruto won't come out of his room. I mean, it's not _that_ bad. Everyone here's wearing it. And it's more, well, _magenta_ then actual pink," she tugged down on the edges of her skirt, trying to maneuver around the maze of hallways. Her attempt at making Sasuke feel better about his uniform completely failed. Sasuke felt _worse_, hearing someone _else_ talk about it. Shame ignited a small blush on his cheeks, not completely from his ignominious uniform. Sakura's appearance was so different from the girl he knew. This girl, walking beside him in a crimson red sailor outfit... Sakura looked mature, composed, and drop-dead gorgeous. Not that he'd admit it out loud, though. Still, but to no avail, he tried to keep his eyes off of Sakura's shapely legs.

More chills went down his spine, completely different then the ones from before.

- - - -

Naruto's obnoxious laughter rang throughout the hallways, rattling windows and doors in their frames. Sakura covered her ears to keep out the bone-shattering noise.

"SASUKE IS WEARING PINK!"

"Shut up! So are you, loser!"

"AS IF YOU HAVE ANY RIGHT TO TELL _ME_ THAT! HA HA!"

"..."

"SHUT UP, _NARUTO_! You're so loud! The principle is _right there!_ Can't you for once have _some_ decency!?" Sakura strode over to Naruto and clamped an iron hand down onto his arm, making him wince. He immediately shut his mouth.

Clearing his throat, the principal pointed towards the window. Giving him a quizzical look, the three peered over. Sasuke's cheeks were still tinted pink. After a span of thirty seconds, Sakura blinked, surprised. She released her hold on Naruto and pointed at the window.

"Mr. Ashow, you do know your window is bugged, right?" she tugged down on the edges of her skirt, an apparent habit now.

He looked at her, taken back.

_His window? _Sasuke gave her a scowl. _She's got sharp eyes. _

"Um, well, no, but that's not the point. Look outside," he paused, waiting for them to do so, "you see it? That statue?" Looking paler, Mr. Ashow pointed fervently in the direction he wanted them to look in. The statue wasn't hard to miss, it being ten feet tall and four in diameter. Cobalt it color, it represented the school's first founder, Gregory Hampshire, a foreigner from another country. Ashow shuddered.

"Students keep coming in with reports concerning that statue. They keep insisting that it moves. I never paid much mind, but," he faltered, apparently distressed. Sakura broke her gaze away from the device in the window--she never bothered looking at the statue--and peered at the client. Sweating, short of breath, pale--this guy was defiantly not joking. _Whatever this is, it's got him desperate enough to call on the services of ninja. Now, about that bug... _

"But what?" Sakura hitched her elbow against the plane of glass, nonchalantly covering the audio recorder up. Sending chakra down her arm, she focused her energy into a spark, aiming at the device's inner workings. It sizzled and gave a silent _pop_, a final death cry. Smiling, Sakura removed her elbow and examined the client closely. She waited for his response.

"... this last month, a student went missing, later found by one of our teachers. Ah, was it Ms. Sears? Such a weird woman. But anyhow, the student, ah, it was... Tasha... something...," he stopped, twisting his mustache in thought. Sakura cleared her throat.

"Oh, well, it doesn't matter, but Tasha-something said he remembered the statue attacking him. I--"

"Wait, Tasha is a _he?!_" Naruto stood rooted in shock, his jaw hanging loosely.

"Naruto, just shut up! Can't you see this is _not_ the time--"

"But, Sakura! What guy is named Tasha? That's the _real_ mystery here!"

"AHG! Can't you focus for more than one minute? Even if this mission is bogus, we have to do it! Just--"

"Well."

Sakura's brow twitched, her mind reeling. Unclenching her fist, she turned around to peer at the figure in the doorway. Leaning against the doorframe was a tall, lanky red head with shining emerald eyes. He gave her a knowing smile and turned towards the principal.

"Pardon my intrusion, but there is another incident. You wanted me to come directly to you when there was another one, correct?" He pushed himself off of his support and stood tall, putting his hands in his coat pockets. Sakura couldn't help but notice an air of intelligence about him. Something else intrigued her, something so familiar it was slapping her in the face. Without thinking, she turned back towards Naruto, looking for something she wasn't aware of.

"Oh, uh, yes! Thank you so much, Minamino-san. Where is the student now?" The principal wrung his hands, nervous.

"In the clinic, as usual," the boy paused, looking at the three unfamiliar faces. Sakura felt his cool, collective gaze sweep over her. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Somehow, she felt her cover was already blown by a single glance.

He cleared his throat and asked, "Are these the students you wanted me to take around?"

"Oh, yes! How could I forget! Where would I be without a student president like you?" Ashow bowed his head and turned towards his three original guests, beaming.

"This is Shuichi Minamino, the sophomore class president. I asked him to show you three around, knowing you are all from the country and all." Ashow smiled and motioned towards Shuichi.

Twitching, Sasuke glared at the sweating man. He didn't like his tone. He was _not_ a country bumpkin. Back where he was from, guys didn't wear _pink_. He crossed his arms, taking an immediate dislike to this Shuichi fellow, though he wasn't sure why.

"Um, wait! We didn't finish--!" Sakura interjected, motioning towards the statue. The principal cut her off with a wave of his hand.

"I'll get back to you all Friday, so you have the week to get comfortable in your classes and moved into your apartment. So nice to have you all!" Suddenly full of confidence, he pushed them into the hallway and shut the door, clicking he lock. Sighing in relief, he walked back to his plush chair and fell into it. With a resigned look, he peered over at the window, entranced.

"Bloody hell, it took me all week to get that thing in the window."

- - - -

"And so this is the cafeteria," Shuichi crooned on, pointing dutifully at the glorified dog-food dispenser. He didn't feel the need to encourage them to find food some place else. With the other freshman, they'd soon find out anyhow.

Leaning against the wall, he pulled paper out of his pocket and a pencil from behind his ear. Sasuke smirked off somewhere in the back of his mind. _What a nerd..._ He sniggered to himself, almost forgetting he was wearing _the pink_.

"This is my cell phone number, if any of you need help. I don't give it out often, but I think you all are a special case," he said, putting emphasis on _case._ Sakura didn't miss it, but she couldn't figure out what it could mean. She took the slip of paper from his outstretched hand, smiling.

"Sure. By the way, where is the student you were talking about before, the one in the clinic?" Sakura tugged again on her skirt.

"I had figured you would ask. The nurse already sent him back to class, but if you like, I can arrange an interview sometime tomorrow," he replied, placing his pencil snuggly back into place. After clearing his throat, he gestured towards Sakura's schedule.

"It seems you all have taken a placement test before you came here," Shuichi pointed to the top right portion of her paper, "and you're in my grade. From your schedule... we share the same classes. I can take you with me."

Walking around to Naruto and Sasuke, he peered down at theirs. With a smile, he patted Naruto on the back and whispered, "It's ok, I have a friend who is in remedial classes. You two should get along fine."

To Sasuke, he said, "Well, it seems you are the only one in the correct classes for your grade. You even have an advanced math topics class. From what I gather, one is above her class, one far below, and one above average. I guess it evens out." Thoughtfully, he scratched his chin, lost in thought.

_They don't say much, do they_? Shuichi sighed, not sure what to do next. A thought sparked to life, unfurling its leaves in his mind.

"Oh, right. Try to stay away from the statue out front," he whispered, mostly looking at Sakura. With a sideward glance out a window, he stated slowly, "I didn't believe it at first, but..." He turned again, fully facing the three.

"People are starting to get hurt."

- - - -

_Easy smeashy. I can't believe this is all the school system here is cracked up to be. I bet even Naruto can pass this! _

Peeling aside another page, Sakura read on ahead of her class. For the most rigorous math course offered at Summerview, it was pretty darn easy. She glanced in Shuichi's direction, taking note of his tireless scratching on paper. From Sakura's seat, she could tell it was anything but math.

_Probably already finished. Geez. _

Leaning back in her chair, she wondered what else her classes had to offer. Would one actually be somewhat of a challenge? Would she finally be able to show everyone how brilliant she really is?

_He said I was above... above Naruto and Sasuke! Maybe, just for once, just this mission, I can show what I can do. I'll show everyone I am not just some weakling! _

Determined, Sakura regained her posture and cracked open the gleaming textbook again, looking for the most difficult chapter.

- - - -

_Ahh! I don't know what's going on! I'm so confused! _

Naruto clutched his head, trying to keep his brain from leaking out his ears. The teacher was going on about some x plus 4 equals 2 crap, but he couldn't grasp it. Why would you need to know what the heck x plus anything equals? If it's already solved in the math book, why bother with it?

_I wish Sakura was here! I could just copy off of her... _

"Uzumaki! Wipe that stupid grin off of your face and pay attention! Come up to the board and solve a problem."

Sighing, Naruto dragged his feet to the front of the room. When the teacher offered questions to solve, he pointed to the one with the smallest numbers.

- - - -

_What a waste of time. I just want to go home. _

Picking the pink out of his pride, Sasuke leaned over his English text book, completely brain dead. _Why_ anyone would care about what makes a sentence up boggled his mind. There were two kinds of sentences in Sasuke Uchiha's mind--functioning ones and _pointless _ones. Seriously, if the sentence functions properly, for example convey a cool, deadly threat to an enemy shinobi, or freeze up any stupid comment Naruto made, then it's a sentence. Now, a _pointless_ sentence would be like--

"Uchiha-san, could you read out loud your complex sentence for us? You've been _very_ diligently working hard over there," cooed the suave Mrs. Burn, the only freshman English teacher on campus. To her fortune, half the freshman in the school were either in remedial classes or taking _honors_ English.

Sasuke looked down at his paper. Of course, it was completely blank, save for his name. Well, crap.

"...The kunai, slicing through the enemy shinobi's head, whizzed past me, a blur that reflected my hate and --"

"Yes, Uchiha-san, that will suffice. Now, will you come up to the board and show us where your dependent and independent clauses are?"

_Che. Sakura is more up for this crap then I am. Thank God I don't have to pass this class. _

- - - -

"Well, I like my classes, although I think my math class is _way_ overrated--it's just too easy, right, Sasuke? My elective class got moved, so now I'm in some class closer to my last class, English, but--"

"Sakura, I'm not in the mood for your mindless cackling. Shut up."

"Oh, ok, sorry..,"

The two walked on in silence, occasionally bumping into another when pressed against the other roaming students in the hallway. After seeing so much pink, Sasuke felt like puking. The yellow stripes were starting to burn into his cornea for good. His backpack dug into his side, a constant reminder of the headache he was going to suffer later.

_Damn that Burn lady..._ _she had me up there the rest of the class... She gave me an extra assignment, too. _

"About the mission, I think we should check out the statue," Sakura stated, seemingly off topic and focused at the same time. Her objective voice slightly stunned Sasuke.

"Whatever."

Sighing, Sakura whirled her bag on her finger, tired of trying to get Sasuke to talk. Ever since the Chuunin exams, she felt weary of her male teammates, lagging sadly behind them. Even Naruto showed more improvement than she had. Maybe this shinobi thing wasn't working out after all...

Sakura stopped in the middle of the hallway, feeling numb.

_What have I ever even done? What special jutsu did I ever learn? What powerful s-class missing-nin did I ever take down? _

Feeling tears starting to well up, she darted between people, away from her stoic companion. For the moment, she didn't even care what he might be thinking, or if he thought she was hurt from something he said. Why the hell would he care anyway?

_He never cares! I loved him all this time, and all he does is... is ... _

Crashing through the front doors in a frantic dash, Sakura stumbled down the stone stairs, openly crying. It had been a while since she broke down, but pain built up over time, forming a thorn that was shredding her heart.

She stopped after she reached a safe place, away from curious eyes. After catching her breath, she pulled out the address to their shared apartment and started towards it. Wiping her tears, she starting forming a laundry list of to-do items. It didn't hurt so much when she looked down at her AP Calculus book, or when she peered into her book bag to see the thick and difficult book for her English class. _Maybe, just for a little while, _she thought_, I can pretend I'm just a normal school girl. If Sasuke doesn't want my help, then I won't offer anymore. I'm just Sakura Haruno, and I go to Riverview High school. _

Her mood much improved, she started to skip the rest of the way. The building loomed just ahead, a sickly gray and covering in creeping vines. Sakura started to assess the situation, creating a plan of attack. Already, the chores of buying food, soap, trash bags, bathroom items, possible furniture, and bills started to cloud her mind. She could keep a level head with these things, though. School work wasn't an issue--the only class she wasn't sure of was her elective, since it was changed at the last minute.

The only thing that daunted her was that she had to spend an unknown amount of time under the same roof as her teammates. Sasuke, she wouldn't mind, but...

"SAKURA-CHAAAN! WAIT FOR ME!"

- - - -


	2. Pink me up

_Cookie for __Crystal Koneko! It IS YYH!_  
- - - -

Sakura had to hand it to herself--she was _good_.

Sixteen hours of cleaning. Scrubbing. Scratching. Vacuuming. Picking trash up, taping holes over, painting, hacking apart old furniture for the sake of creating new furniture--all done and safely behind her. Stepping back to view her work, Sakura felt pride rush through her. Man might create fire, or Naruto might defeat Gaara, but _she..._ She did the impossible. _Sakura_ turned this old junk heap into something livable and pleasant. The place had freaking mold growing in the cracks for crying out loud! The walls had gapping holes and moss climbing through them! She utterly _destroyed_ all sources of spiders, roaches, and ants! Beat _that_!

"Man, I'm _whooped_!" She stated to no one in particular. As it was at the moment, she wasn't on speaking terms with neither Naruto _nor_ Sasuke. After seeing the man squirm at the sight of a scrub brush, she had doubts of her imminent marriage to him. Would the man _ever_ help her clean, or would she be stuck with seven kids and an entire mansion to scour? Even Naruto had attempted to help out, but it ended in more work cleaning up his screw-ups. For instance, a five-foot antique glass mirror--smashed. An ancient looking vase Sakura was planning to put flowers in--smashed. Two royal rugs, treasure found in the basement--paint smeared. He even had the nerve to track dirt all over Sakura's freshly painted walls. How that was possible, only Naruto may know.

But now, as she stood back, admiring the house even her OCD _mother_ would be jealous of, she could only grin in euphoria. Perhaps the _Restoration--Success!_ book she borrowed from the library a few years back paid off after all.

Pivoting on her sore heels, she strode over her sparkling wood floors to the backyard. It was the only project she put the boys in charge of completing. Perhaps being outside, in their element, would encourage them to create a decent place to relax or train. If it was _Sakura's _project, she would have the fence re-painted, the grass mowed, a cobble-stone path to the tea-table in the corner (such a lovely table, she thought so herself ), maybe some roses in the corner, and...

"HI-YA! I'm not gonna let you beat me THIS time!"

"Just shut up, you know you're not strong enough."

"I beat Gaara, didn't I? _You_ couldn't even do that! I can whoop you, too!"

"Lucky fluke. I bet even _Sakura_ could beat you, although I doubt it..."

Clutching the doorframe, said Sakura gazed out at the destruction. Fury and injustice swelled in her.

The grass. It was all gone.

The fence. Half of it wasn't even there anymore. The rest remain broken and smashed.

The table. Oh, God, the table! She searched around frantically for it, whipping her head in each direction. If that table was destroyed, she would just _have_ to kill someone. That was their last hope of owning something remotely charming! After not seeing it, she slowly turned her jade eyes to their faces.

"Where. The. _Fuck_. Did. You. Put. My _TABLE_!" She roared, clenching her apron in both hands. The seams were starting to rip under her violent fury. She wasn't playing around now. She spent so much time and effort! Here they were, causing _chaos_ in the backyard! Her eyes starting to waver in intense emotion, lightening in color.

_"_I asked you a question. _Where. Is. It,_" whispering hotly, she punctuated her death threat with slow footsteps towards the boys. This anger, this rage... Sakura felt like she could genuinely hurt someone and not fell the least bit hesitation if it would release some heat. Inside, she was actually kind of scared. Somewhere, some part of her was screaming for her to stop, but...

It was too late now.

She's pissed.

"Sa-Sakura-chan...," Naruto backed up, holding his hands up. Dirt and grass stains littered his palms and face. Sakura tore her apron off, ready to strangle him with it.

Suddenly, a finger was thrust into Sakura's line of vision, blocking her eyes from the cowering Naruto. Following the straight, perfectly toned arm, her eyes rested on her table, on its side just outside of the fence's perimeter. Letting out a gasp, she dropped her soiled apron and bounded to it, hopeful. Carefully, she up-righted it and looked it over.

Upon inspection of the tarnishing silver and crystal glass, she discovered that it was relevantly unharmed. The shimmering glass felt a little loose from the frame, but a little clever ingenuity would clearly fix that. Sakura sighed, her anger temporarily displaced.

_At least I still have you,_ she thought, patting the table. Sighing, she turned back around. Gazing at her through the ten-foot gap in her fence, Naruto and Sasuke merely stood there. She felt the fire rise up again.

_Calm down, calm down... I can poison their food later..._

"What is your report." She crossed her arms, trying to contain her scathing fumes from leaking out her nose. All she received was a dumb, awestruck look.

Her composure snapped--Sakura became livid.

"I've HAD it! BOTH of you, GET OUT! Just, just, just go somewhere for two hours, ok? Can you handle that, or will you screw that up, too?!" She screamed, her arms body trembling in rage. _Why do I even bother clean up their mess,_ she thought, _when I know they don't care. Probably mess it right back up!_

Keeping her eyes on anything but them, she started picking the remains of the fence up. Already a plan to fix the backyard was forming in her mind. Grass seeds were on sale this time of year, and she was certain she saw nice, flat rocks on the way home. Grunting as she piled the last of the scattered fragments of boards up, she dropped the last of them and quickly glanced around.

Naruto and Sasuke had already vacated.

- - - -

Ok. Maybe she had overdone it.

Maybe just a little.

Well, what was she _supposed_ to do, with only a limited amount of paint? The fence _had_ to get painted somehow, right? So of course it seemed reasonable to mix the remaining amount of paint and hope for the best. So she had done it, she painted every last board with the hybrid color.

It was just coincidence that the only colors remaining were white and red.

Oh yes. Sakura painted the backyard pink. A _vibrant hot_ pink.

It didn't seem as bad as she was putting it on, and in fact it was quite pleasant. Pink was one of her favorites, right after red, so it didn't occur to her that it might not have been acceptable. It was after, when she stood back to take it in, that she realized she painted the fence pink. The sun bounced off of it, making the whole thing _glow_. The grass seeds were freshly planted and watered, the cobblestone path complete, and the fence was painted. Pink.

Sakura cringed.

_What am I going to do? _She pulled at her hair, examining the extent of the damage. At least the color wasn't visible to outside world--she had run out of paint by then--but still... Sasuke was _not_ going to be pleased. Naruto would probably blow a casket, and that would be yet _another_ mess to clean up. Pink. _Oh my God..._ Chewing on a lock of hair, she sighed with silent resignation.

The imprint of her earlier anger flared up again with the thought of her companions. She uncrossed her arms and gazed again at the fence.

_Serves them right. I had asked them to get an extra can of white. Not my fault they went cheap._

Smirking, she walked over to the empty paint cans and bent down. Dimly, she noted there was a smidgen of paint left over in the red can. She shrugged and picked up the brushes, preparing to clean up. Suddenly, she stopped, a wide, creeping grin crossing her face. Placing the white can back on the ground, she took the red and made her way over to the fence closest to the table.

Sakura contented herself painting red hearts on the fence for the rest of that afternoon, humming her favorite song.

- - - -

"Sakura, we--"

"Nope. Don't want to hear it."

"Seriously, I mean, I'm so--"

"Not listening. Dinner's done in five."

"Oh, come on! Just let me--"

"Oh, look, the timer says it's already done. Don't want to burn it!"

Humming loudly, she forced a cheerful expression on her face as she pulled the roast from the oven. The rich smell was intoxicating to Sakura's nose--she was hungry. After all, wouldn't single-handedly restoring a crumbling house wear you out? She took in a breath, happy she took up watching her mom cook in the evenings. She might not be able to throw off twenty enemy shinobi, but she could knock any man off his feet with her cooking.

Well, save for one.

"Sasuke, it's ready! I fixed roast, mashed potatoes, corn--"

"What the hell is this stuff? Why couldn't you cook rice like normal people?" Sasuke poked the pot with a indignant finger, raising an eyebrow at the unfamiliar dishes. Sakura felt a little part of her twitch inside. _Strike one, Uchiha,_ she thought. Even if she _did_ love him, _absolutely no one insulted her food._

She put the roast on the table, preparing to take the lid off.

"If you really must know, _Sasuke_, it is foreign. You might be surprised to know my mom actually came from someplace else and married into Konoha. This is what they ate over there."

Fondly patting the pot, she smiled and turned towards the other dishes. Sasuke wrinkled his nose.

"Why did you paint the fence pink."

Sakura let out a heavy breath. _Again_, he asks.

"I _told_ you, I didn't have enough paint, so I mixed the cans! Not my fault it turned out pink!" She dropped the ceramic bowls on the table harshly. They made a _clank_ that echoed throughout the house. Naruto scratched his nose.

"So, I guess this means there's no ramen?" He asked, keeping his eyes away from Sakura. She threw her oven mitts on the table, red in the face.

"NO, Naruto! There is no--ah, whatever! If you don't want to eat my cooking, then _fine!_ COOK YOUR OWN DAMN FOOD!_ I've had it with you people!" _Sakura bellowed, clutching her apron tightly to her sides. She tore it off, threw it to the side, and stormed out of the kitchen. Thinking, she stopped at the doorway and turned. Putting her hands on her hips, she pursed her lips and started speaking slowly, in a warm, deep voice.

"Alright. Ok. I get it. I'm annoying. I'm mean. Spiteful. But I spent _hours_ making this place presentable, and _hours_ putting together a bogus report for the Hokage, so, don't I deserve a little respect? Hm?"

She paused, giving them both searching looks. They stared at her blankly. Finally, she sighed, bowing her head.

"The ramen is in the cabinet next to the oven," she whispered, dejected. Sakura turned again and left, careful to hide her welling tears.

Ignoring the clanking sounds Naruto was making to get to the coveted ramen, she shuffled over to the sliding glass doors leading to the backyard. Moonlight illuminated the place, making Sakura believe it could be touched by faeries. Smiling, she pressed her hands on the cold glass, fogging it up with her heat. Seeing the table sparkle and glimmer underneath the moon's pale light made her day that much easier. It truly was a charming piece.

Sighing, she turned away from the dazzling sight and started off towards her room. A thought hit her.

Sakura pivoted around and strode back into the kitchen, not surprised it was empty already. Shrugging, she picked her roast, corn, mashed potatoes, and sweet peas, preparing to make a trip upstairs. Balancing the warm dishes on her outstretched arms, she was careful not to spill her dinner and tip-toed out into the main room.

_I must look ridiculous. _

She blew a lock of hair out of the way, glad for once her hair was short. As she passed the sliding glass doors, she spotted her table.

Another idea hit her.

- - - -

Ugly.

That would be the word she would attach to it.

No, _fugly._

Even if it was suppose to be an amazing piece of art, jutting proudly into the sun with crushed blue arms quaintly attached to hips, Sakura couldn't see the artistic value behind it. Cracks covered the surface, putting at least ten years on the guy. She wrinkled her nose, unimpressed by the ten-foot high "statue of doom."

_Most likely a hoax. The real mission is behind it--about that bug in the window. Ashow blew it off too easily..._

Giving the glorified hump of blue rocks one last, uninterested glance, she trotted away with her book bag.

_I guess I'll hang around here, just in case. It's pretty peaceful, actually. I think I'll eat lunch here._

"So you came after all."

Sakura jerked her head up at the voice. It was the same red-head from yesterday.

"I don't buy the 'it moves' crap. I think there's something more hiding behind the scenes," she replied, tugging on her skirt. How awkward standing in a tiny piece of cloth can feel!

Shuichi grinned, amused by her response. He pointed at the benches located nearby.

"Well, then, if you are not afraid being around it, then about meeting me here for lunch? You're the first one yet to purposely come out of your way to check it out."

She thought it over, examining his offer from several angles. Deciding, she nodded, looking at her watch.

"We'll be late to Calc. Got a quiz, you know."

He sighed.

"Again? The woman never tires of giving us pop quizzes."

- - - -

Amazing. Simply amazing.

"Hey, Sasuke, did she just--"

"Shut up."

Leaning against the brick wall, Sasuke glared after the pair walking away. She looked happy enough, for once not clinging to that hideous text book. He didn't think he'd ever feel so much hate geared for one person--his brother the exception. The man drove him up the wall, more so than Naruto.

And he didn't even _try._

Just standing there, cool and distant--but not cold--the Minamino fellow could put Sasuke into a black mood . He had a warm smile and pleasant manners. Girls were around every corner, watching his every moment. Sure, Sasuke had his _own_ fan club at home--not that he cared--but not to the extent of _his._ Practically every girl on campus had a pin on her right breast pocket bearing the initials _S.M.F._ Why is it, then, he had to go after the only one who _didn't_ have his name glued to her chest?

_Calm down, just think it over. It's not like she means anything, anyway._

He smoothed his hand over his face, sighing. The thought ran threw his head again.

Sakura just _ditched_ him for another dude.

Groaning, he lowered his head. Surely every girl back in Konoha would have died to take a picture--Sasuke moping. Letting out another sigh, again glanced up at Sakura's retreating form.

"Sasuke, do you think she _likes_ him? I mean, she was all smiling and stuff when she left."

Yes, she _did_ have a particular smirk on her face. Sasuke didn't think it was of infatuation for the red head, though. It was more like...victory. Was it _payback_ for yesterday? Wasn't the fence enough?

"...She's useless. Just focus on the mission so we can just go home."

_Home_. Where _he_ was the reigning prince and the girls fondled over _him._ Where _Sakura_ fondled over him. He could smell the crisp pine now, taste the salty ramen Naruto always forced on him. To an extent, he even missed Kakashi. After all, after just one night in the concrete forest of buildings and winding streets, his own rural home seemed all too promising.

He hated it there.

- - - -

"It's not so bad, actually," she answered, leaning back against the wood. The sun beat down in waves, the steady hum of crickets in the bushes hypnotized. This town had something Konoha didn't--opportunities.

"Oh? I figured you'd miss your home. The way you describe it in English suggests you rather love the place."

She laughed, remembering her personal narrative written earlier. Yes, she _did_ miss home, but it was only one day. Surely she would see it soon enough, and back to plain-old-Sakura it was.

"Well, Minamino-san, you'd be surprised to know, but things are ran a little differently back home. I like it here, with all of these academic classes," Sakura shut her eyes, taking in the sunlight.

It was pleasant, submerged in warmth and natural noise. The loud crickets that housed themselves in the bushes here were not something she'd find back home--the bug users made sure of that. For some reason, the soft din was peaceful, wavering over the landscape from every niche and cranny. A warm voice broke her from her thoughts.

"Oh? How so? Do you not have secondary schools?"

Ah, question.

"Regular academics are covered in the academy, but not like here. We have more... _hands on_ type learning," she answered, smiling.

Question answered.

"I see. Very interesting! Do you know martial arts?" He shifted, getting a better look at her lean frame. Sakura moved lower into the bench, relaxing.

"Yeah, I guess. You really have to learn it, in order to go much further in school."

_Why am I giving out so much information? If I'm not careful, I could blow our cover._ She opened one eye and peered at him, searching for any sign of realization. Smiling warmly at her, Shuichi merely chuckled.

"You would like my some of my friends. Most, if not all, are into martial arts. Actually," he paused, looking thoughtful. He stretched out his legs, looking like a puppy curling up comfortably next to a fire. "I'm fairly into them myself. Although, even I have to admit I do things a bit differently." Another warm chuckle.

Being around Shuichi wasn't near as bad as Sakura thought it would be. What began as a simple information gathering session turned into a pleasant lunch between two people getting to know each other. Sakura relaxed, letting go of her troubles. She even spilled out her hours of toiling away for her unappreciative companions. When she told him about the pink fence, he let out peals of laughter. It was impossible for her not to join in.

"Did you really?"

"Yep! I even drew little red hearts near the gate! It's so _girly_ even _I _have to acknowledge I might have gone overboard. Serves them right, though," she drawled, glaring off into the distance. "They wouldn't even eat my food. I'm a good cook, too!" She looked up at him, looking for empathy.

"Oh? I'll have to take you up on that," he said deeply, giving her a wink.

Blushing, Sakura turned away, earning herself another hearty laugh from Shuichi. For a fleeting second, she felt the funny warm feeling in her stomach.

It had nothing to do with the beating sunlight.

- - - -


	3. Pink rose

Leaning against the wall in the kitchen, Sakura peered at the mountain of paperwork on the table. Most of it was hers; however a small quotient belonged to Sasuke and Naruto. They both dumped their book bags out and retreated out the front door, probably to the local park. It seemed neither of them wanted to venture into the backyard.

_What's so bad? It's just a color. Men are such crybabies._

She snorted, noting the failing marks on _both_ Sasuke and Naruto's papers. Although she had been diligent in her studies and actually _learned_ something, the boys seemed to blow it off. She thought it was a pity, as this was a grand opportunity to catch some useful skills they could all use in the field. Even Shikamaru knew the value of being able to solve an oblique triangle. Her mind wandered back to the hill on the table, but she kept falling back on her latest worry--orchestra.

Her new elective.

It was the _only_ class you couldn't study for, and no _useful_ textbook presented itself before her. The woman was pretty passionate about it, going off about various symphonies and local string groups. For the first few days, she sat in the back, observing. To Sakura, the whole thing was pretty much ridiculous. A wasted spot on her schedule. She _could_ be taking traditional Chinese or AP Physics, but _no,_ the _only_ class open was _this._ Wasn't an elective something you could choose? Something you _wanted_?

Her eyes wandered over to the black case in the corner, the epitome of all evil.

Her new instrument.

Cha, reading the music was easy--something for her keen mind to analyze and retain--but the actual _playing_ part was what got her.

_Why do I have to suffer through this? I didn't want to play the damn guitar thing! If anything, I wanted the violin! It's MUCH more feminine._

A light knock on her door alerted her to a visitor at the door. Groaning, Sakura dragged her feet there, muttering curses under her breath. She knew damn well who it was who darkened her doorstep, and she couldn't be gloomier about it. Sighing one last time, she turned the door knob and pulled the door open. There stood with a slip of paper in her hand was none other than the infamous orchestra director herself--Ms Sears.

"Miss Sakura! What a lovely house! I drove by the other day, and it was all falling to hell, but I guess you and your crew cleaned it up, eh?" The woman let herself in, holding a black case of her own. It was the same size as Sakura's case--a beast, if she had to say so herself. Not even exaggerating, she swore the thing could eat her whole.

"Right then, let's get started. I only have about an hour, 'cause I got something to get to myself. Where's your cello?" She peered around, seemingly charmed by the house.

Oh, so _that_ was what the thing was called.

"It's over in the kitchen...," she replied, looking a little dead. For once, she was glad the guys weren't around to see her in her moment of shame.

"The best place to practice, I think! I prefer the bathroom, though. Got a full length mirror in there, ya know," she grunted, shifting the weight off of her back. Plopping the case on the floor, she sighed and started to roll it on its wheels in the direction Sakura pointed.

_She practices in the bathroom? She IS weird..._

While the woman started unzipping her case, she began to speak, suddenly very serious.

"Ok, I'm well aware you are a transfer student, and maybe this isn't your top pick."

_Got THAT right..._

"But I want you to just hear me out."

She unzipped the last snag and opened her case, peering inside. An old, light-reddish hued cello sat snuggled in crushed red velvet. She fished the bow out of the side, tightening it with expertise. With every movement, light rosin dust flaked off, sending flurries in the air. Sakura could smell the faint scent of pine. Unsnapping the restraint gently, the woman extracted the cello and held it aside as she put the case to its side. In the light, Sakura could see the instrument's true color.

It was pink.

She blinked, surprised at the pretty shade. Surely, such a dull instrument would be brown, right? Just like the owner's hair? Sakura peered at the cello, deciding the actual hue was more of a _very_ light red--so light it was pink. It didn't seem off place at all, unlike her fence.

It was just different.

"Alright, playing in an orchestra can actually be fun, believe it or not," Ms Sears murmured, carefully placing her cello on its side next to her. She squatted on the floor, resting her hand on a chair to steady herself.

"You're the type that likes books--rules. In music, there are rules, but they aren't the same. They are _much_ harder not to break. You might _think_ orchestra is an easy A, but if you knew the _half_ of it," she stopped, shaking her head.

"Orchestra would be the most difficult class you _ever_ took on. A real challenge. I'll tell you why," she broke off with a smile. Gesturing to the spot beside her, she continued on as Sakura squatted across from her.

"Balance. Intonation. Precision. Expression. Appearance. You gotta keep _everything_ in mind, but at the same time, you can't think. If you think too hard, you'll screw up. _Trust_ me. Playing any instrument is art, but it's also a science, a math, English, a history--it's everything! The hard work that goes into just _making_ one of these suckers is just amazing. Did you know that the best instruments ever made sound the way they do because of the wood? Yep, it's true! And each composition is like a book from the composer, but it's so much harder to interpret. _So_ many ways a piece can go. Everything about music is a challenge--and an interesting one--and I know, Sakura, if you just give it a shot," she paused, giving her an encouraging look.

"You'll just love it."

- - - -

Sighing, Sasuke gave his wall a dirty look. It wasn't necessarily the wall he was glaring at; it was the thing behind it.

The _cello_.

It was the first thing he saw as he walked in--propped between her legs, creaking out the most horrendous, scratchy sound ever to taint his ears. Even as he walked past, grimacing, it continued to make noise. Naruto stopped dead in the hallway, clutching his ears. Finally, it stopped.

"Oh, you're home. Raman's in the pot, it's all ready. I already ate, with Ms Sears, so it's all yours." She had seemed a little brighter, a little cheerier. Sasuke had doubts about her sanity if _that thing_ was the cause of her good mood. Finally, he asked.

"What the hell is that?"

She looked down, smiling. Giving it a solid pat, she answered with a wide grin.

"It's my cello! Her name is Taikou!"

And so the war began.

Even if she did move herself upstairs, shutting the door firmly behind her, the sound permeated through the walls and satiated the house. For _hours_ it went on, unceasing. Sasuke recognized the whiny noise as attempts at scales, but he could barely recognize one pitch from another. The girl had no ear. When the racket finally stopped--Sasuke hoped she accidentally stabbed herself with the stick thing--the house felt calm and empty. He hadn't seen her come down since.

Between _Taikou_ and that _Shuichi_, Sasuke couldn't decide which was worse. One that hurt his pride or his ears--he couldn't pick one torture over the other. They had one thing in common, however.

Sakura.

"Hey, Sasuke, is she done yet?" Naruto whispered, peeking from behind his door. He had a pair of ear muffs snuggly secured over his ears and a pair of gaudy goggles strapped to his head. Sasuke smirked, nodding. Naruto took that as an invitation to enter.

"Idiot, you don't need goggles. It's your _ears_ you have to protect," Sasuke stated, itching his nose. Everything in his body itched ever since he got home. He rationed he was allergic to cellos.

"No, I'm protecting my eyes from the pink! Every time I pass the windows, I get blindsided by the fence!" He pulled the goggles away from his face, revealing bloodshot eyes. Sasuke snorted, amused.

"Whatever."

"Hey, um, Sasuke?"

"What."

"Can you help me with my math? I'm afraid to go ask Sakura...,"

"..."

"Please?"

"No."

"Why not? She could start..._playing_ while I'm up there! I'll go deaf and--"

"No."

"Come on, just this once! I just need help with these eight problems--"

"No."

"--and they're really hard, I mean, they're like impossible--"

"No."

"--and I have this test tomorrow on--"

Sasuke sighed, peeved. His head hurt from all of the annoying sounds in the house. Reaching down to scratch his knee, he decided--he was _defiantly_ allergic to cellos.

"Will you leave me alone if I do?"

"Of course! I'll go away, promise! So far away that you won't even--"

"Great, now shut up. Where's your book?"

"Thanks a lot, teme! You don't know how scared I was, thinking I'd have to go ask _Sakura--_"

"Do you want me to help you or not?"

- - - -

_Moving slowly,  
white powder scattered across the wood like fresh snow  
obstructing the view of the pink_

"What are you writing?"

Sakura threw her hands over her paper, jerking her head up. Sasuke raised his perfect eyebrow, glaring down at her.

_He hasn't been the same since I ate lunch with Shuichi that one day..._

Keeping her poem hidden, she moved away from the table. Perhaps she'd changed since that day, too. Now, she was either cooped up with her cello or completing homework. Every so often, she'd make a bogus log in a mission report she was keeping. In it, the three of them were diligently scouring the school for suspects. It sounded picturesque, but in reality, the three of them were skating by on pre-packaged ramen and cheap coffee. Well, at least the _boys_ were. Sakura was eating her own special meals every night.

His cold voice stopped her again.

"What's going on?"

_What?_ She twisted around, confused. The question posed so many different ways to answer. Was he talking about Shuichi, Taikou, school, or--

"The mission. What are we doing about it."

Oh. That.

"I have been writing logs about the information I gathered the first day. So far, the whole thing looks like a hoax. Not sure yet, though," she stated, rubbing her arm. The thought crossed her mind a few times--why _were_ they still here? The statue was obviously not going to move, and Sakura doubted it ever had. The only thing keeping them there was her.

Sakura held her hand to her mouth, shocked at her own self revelation. Was it _her_ that was holding onto this mission, this world? It was a place she fit in, where she prospered. Why _would_ she want to leave? Giving Sasuke a wide-eyed look, she ducked out of the living room. Instead of dashing to her room, she gaped at the front door. _Should I make a run for it?_ After all, Sasuke was _bound_ to figure out she was the guilty one. Then, he'd get mad and demand their return to Konoha. But she wasn't ready! She had a playing test in orchestra coming up, and Ms. Sears said she was doing so well! She even bought tickets for a concert coming up, and--

"Sakura, where are you--"

"No! _I'm not leaving!_" Sakura screamed, slamming the front door behind her. Still clutching her poem, she dashed down the sandy path to the road lined by thorny bushes.

The sun was beginning to set, illuminating the suburban environment. Coloring the sky were clouds of all different textures, blazing streaks of red, orange, purple, and crushed pink across the horizon. Drifting in the warm air was a fragrant odor, sweet and refreshing.

Sakura could _never_ leave this.

All home had was pine trees and impossible hurdles. Impossible dreams. Everyone knew she would never get far as a shinobi. No special skills, no immense chakra to fall back on or intense taijutsu. Here, though, she had something special. Shikamaru might be smarter, but he didn't have drive. In a classroom setting, Sakura _dominated._ In the home, she could fix anything. In the kitchen, she could cook her own mother under the table. Why couldn't she just stay here? Maybe after the mission, she could convince her mom and...

_No... it's impossible..._

She stopped, lowering her head. Already, she was quite a distance away from her cozy home. In her eyesight was a lone bench along the sidewalk. Lowering herself into it, she set her eyes once again on the sunset taking stage above the houses. Sinking into the creaking wooden bench, she sighed.

"Quite beautiful, isn't it?"

Turning her head slowly, she saw Shuichi lounging next to her, staring at the same view. Used to his sudden appearances, she smiled.

"Yeah, it is."

"Something on your mind?"

She thought over a response, tired of trying to hide any information she couldn't let out. She was leaving soon anyhow, right?

"Yeah. That stupid statue."

"Oh? What about it?"

"It... isn't moving."

Shuichi laughed, clutching his stomach. She had to grin herself, loving the sound of his rich voice. Noticing the small details--his traditional clothes, even outside of school, his fiery red hair, that dimple that appeared when he laughed--Sakura felt that tingling in her toes again. If she wasn't careful, she'd--

_Oh, damn. Too late._

"It isn't moving? Why would you want it too, Sakura?" He still had a tint of humor in his voice.

"Because...," she faltered, unable to continue. Secrecy was secrecy, after all. The fuzzy warm feeling continued to deepen.

"Ah, I see. Curiosity. Well, if you put it that way," he stopped, pondering a response. He touched a hand to his chin--something he did often.

She noticed the dying sun brought out the highlights in his hair. Off-handedly, she wondered if she had highlights like his. Such lovely, soft hair... Slowly, she started moving towards him, unaware of her own actions. Her head rested on his shoulder, her face buried into his soft mess of red locks. The flowery scent intensified the emotions swelling in her chest. Unlike everything she knew, he was warm, deliciously warm. Subtly, she leaned the last of her weight against him, settling her small frame next to his. His body heat was assuring and comforting. Within seconds, she was almost asleep.

Fingers moved against her scalp, gently displacing her silky hair. From there, they moved down, trailing along her chin and teasing her neck. Only a whisper of a touch, it was enough to send her stomach flying.

It was hypnotizing.

Finally, he placed his hand on her jaw, caressing her face. She felt him shift, losing the heat from his hair. Softly, she protested, but was soon quieted by a soft touch on her lips. His face was scarcely a centimeter away from her face, emitting heat. Drawn to the source of warmth, she leaned forward and caught his lips with hers.

- - - -

Unthinkable.

Unimaginable.

Sasuke threw his fist into the nearest tree, his eyes glued to the scene in front of him. Unintentionally, his Sharingan activated, letting him see every painful action. That red-head's one hand was stroking her face, the other gently clasping her folded hands in her lap. Sakura's face molded with own, hidden by his glowing red hair. It made him want to puke.

Right now, Sasuke was a mixing pot of emotions, his guts churning and twisting with rage and jealousy. _That_ was _his_ Sakura. Weither he wanted to admit it or _not_, he held some emotion deep down, stored just for her. Hiding it was just layers of ice and indifference brought on by being consumed by hatred. After all, he _was_ going to kill his brother. This Minamino fellow just jacked his name up on the list, too.

Debating weither or not to come down on the pair, he twisted his shirt in his hands. Right now, he just wanted something to _pound._

_Where is Naruto when you need him!_ He spat, unable to take the bile building in his mouth. Finally, he stopped fidgeting and gave them one last, dirty look.

_Fuck it!_ _It's not worth it!_

He turned hastily, putting as much distance between himself and the root source of all his problems. However, the blow went deep to his pride. Not even the rushing wind could cool down his temper.

Perhaps it was then the awful idea of revenge struck him.


	4. Pink tears

_Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto or Yu Yu Hakusho--And I have to warn you, it's gory in this chapter. If you didn't like Cabin Fever, you might want to skip some of the middle section there... Damn, this story started out happy-go-lucky, and now it's angsty. Shit. Sorry for typos! I'm just doing this on my own time, for fun. I don't have time to read it through carefully. _

_- - - - _

"Kurama," he whispered, holding his head close to her ear. Sakura felt goose bumps rise on every inch of her body.

"What?"

"Kurama. My name is Kurama."

He cut off her response with a deep kiss, parting her lips and teasing her tongue. Feeling giddy, Sakura wrapped her hands around him, afraid she could fall off the earth if she didn't hold on. This newest development made her heart pound harder. After both were breathless and exhilarated, the kiss ended. She leaned her head back to its original resting place.

Tentatively, she asked, "Is it a secret?"

His chuckle reverberated against her ear, making her entire body move with his. She snuggled deeper into his coat.

"Perhaps."

The sun finally pulled the last of the clouds over his head, snuffing out the source of light and warmth from the sky. To warn the world of her coming, the moon sent chilly drafts a wind streaming across the earth. From the resulting temperature change, Sakura began to get cold. With a knowing smile, he noticed her trembling and took off his jacket.

"Now, then, about the statue. You said you wanted to see it move, correct?" The humor returned to his voice.

"Yeah, if it moves, I can...I can stay longer."

"What?"

"I have a secret all of my own," she whispered, feeling brave. Placing a single chilled finger to her lips, she continued in a wispy voice.

"I'm a shinobi."

- - - -

_What an entirely amazing girl_, he thought, watching her keep up with him as he dashed between trees. Surely, he had heard of such people called shinobi, who lived in tiny villages far from his own large town. It made perfect sense--the way she could filter through the hallways without being jostled by the other students (something even _he_ had trouble with), the explanation for her unique physique, the very reason she could dart between the trees now. _Completely brave, too_, he commented, remembering how earnestly she wanted to see the statue that no one would even _spit_ at anymore.

And so here they were now, making their way to the school. It was his idea, but something told him he should have waited a day or two. He rationalized since the activity level decreased, the thing possessing it must have either left or lost control. After all, didn't he take the time to plant a seed to sap the force out of it?

"Up ahead!" She shouted, pointing to the break in the trees.

_She certainly seems happier since earlier this evening. _

Well, he was having trouble stopping grinning himself.

Clearing the dense forest, the empty streets and houses reappeared. As far as Kurama was concerned, his town was lucky to have both a bustling economy _and_ a lush environment to enjoy. Being more nature oriented, he preferred the grass and trees over a city skyline any day.

Settling their pace to a walk, they continued forward, hand in hand. If it was any other day, it would just look like an average couple going for a forbidden stroll around a locked school. Perhaps for the people walking the sidewalks, it was for the best.

He couldn't imagine their expression if he told them what they were _really_ doing.

- - - -

"Ok, so you're telling me this thing is possessed by demons?"

"Yes, naturally. I have a haunch the principal is behind it, although I am not sure."

"But..._demons_?"

Kurama broke out in a cheery laugh, amused by her startled expression. He guessed even if she _was_ a shinobi, coming in contact with the supernatural probably wasn't something she did often. He wiped his smile off with his hand, preparing a good explanation.

"There are demons in this world as much are there are people who can walk on walls," he stated, alluding to her trick she showed him. He found it astonishing. In a way, he was hoping the demon would show up--so he could show her what _he_ could do.

She smiled, seeming to understand and accept. Slowly, she walked up to the statue again, a calculating look in her eyes. He recognized it as the same look she gave him the first time they met. Really, it was the look she gave _everything_ when she first saw it. Always evaluating, testing, hypothesizing. The girl was probably the only person to come close to his analytical skills.

_She underestimates herself, though, _he commented sadly.

"Well, I don't sense any chakra signs from it, so I guess--"

"DUCK!"

Sakura felt a massive amount of air rush past her ears, stunning her. Dropping to the ground, she rolled away from the source. Blue stone fell all around her ears. And the sound--grating, crushing stone--surged through her senses. Sakura's mood picked up.

_Ah, so the bastard finally moves, eh_?

She smirked, pulling a stashed kunai from her bra. With agility, she sprang to her feet and prepared to attack. Her mouth dropped open when she saw it. The statue lay crumbling beside her, immobile.

It was _not_ the statue that had made a swoop at her.

- - - -

Sasuke shut her door, almost regretting the terrible deed. Of course, he couldn't go back now. Even so, Sakura was bound to mope for a few days. Though she perfectly well deserved it. Torturing him with that skimpy skirt, killing his ears with her horrid playing, sucking his soul dry with that damn red head... To think of the _damage_ done to his pride... Unthinkable! She had to pay.

Wiping the chips of wood off of his hands, he sauntered down the stairs. Naruto was standing at the bottom, a serious glint in his eye.

"You did it, didn't you," he asked, avoiding Sasuke's piercing look.

"You killed her cello."

Snorting, Sasuke shuffled his feet over to the window. What a sentimental fool! The fence in its entire pink splendor screamed at him. Tilting his head to the side, he answered icily, "I just did what I felt like I needed to do. It was getting in the way of the mission." In the fence he saw visions of Sakura with the putrid Minamino guy. They were both holding up Sasuke's failing English papers and laughing at him in his pink uniform.

"What? How was it--"

"She was obviously too busy fooling around with _that thing_ to worry about the mission. Now she'll focus."

"But--Sakura--she--that wasn't even Sakura's! She was borrowing it!"

_Oh_...

Keeping his back to him, Sasuke covered his tight gasp with another snort. He turned away from the window, unsure what to do. After all, he just_ demolished_ an expensive instrument belonging to probably the most possessive cello owner in existence. Ms. Sears didn't fool around when it came to her babies. _How _was he going to fix this? Their cover was jeopardized...

Suddenly, a loud and intrusive noise normally classified as knocking crushed his eardrums. He snapped his head in the direction of the door, watching as the doorframe rattled and jiggled with the intense abuse. A loud voice pierced through the din.

"_Open the door! _It's Sakura, she's hur--"

The door flew open, creating a breeze that swept over porch. Sasuke stood there, his eyes wide when he spotted Sakura. Her head rested on his shoulder, hidden by his crimson hair. From her trembling, Sasuke could tell she was in intense pain. Anger swelled up.

"What. _Happened._" His voice dropped, his features deathly calm except for his hands. They were clenching his pants at his side, white from pressure. Naruto stepped back, recognizing this as Sasuke's 'kill mode.'

Without another word, the boy gingerly holding Sakura stepped past him, making a beeline for the couch. After assuring her comfort, he collapsed in heap on the floor.

- - - -

"Sasuke! Are th--"

"Shut up."

"But! But! B--"

"Naruto," Sasuke drawled, wiping his face on his sleeve. He glared at Naruto, giving him the silent message _I'll kill you if you don't shut the hell up_. Slumping, the blonde personification of caffeine left without another word. He turned back to his work.

_Whatever the hell did this did a good job. I've never seen wounds like these... it's almost as if..._ He propped his elbow on the table, gaping at the six inch long slashes on Minamino. Sakura seemed to have fared better, but he couldn't see the internal damage. For someone shaking so violently, Sakura must have something fatal going onside. After inspecting her temperature again, he realized it was rising. Nothing he did was making anything better.

_Sakura was always the one that did this. _

He peered down at her sweating form, realizing just how much she put into her team. Even if she was on the side lines most of the time, she took up the job none of the men could complete. Always the cheerleader, always the one with the med kit. Always the negotiator, the report writer. She was the stable end of their spectrum.

And here she was. Dying.

Grunting in frustration, he peeled off her soiled bandages on her arm. Only after thirty minutes, and they already needed changed. He shut his eyes, trying to squeeze out the glare. When he opened them he stared dumbfounded at the hand holding the bandage.

Along with the bandage was a whole patch of blackened skin.

His eyes darted to her arm, dread rising from his center. Sure enough, the wound was growing and contaminating the flesh around it. To see her pearly skin tainted by infection, her body wrecked in tremors--what the hell happened? He left them sucking each others faces off and they come home rotting off of their bones!

Exasperated, he turned to his rival, seeing the same symptoms. Sasuke was at his wits end. Touching his brow, he lowered his head and tried to think. Going to the hospital wouldn't help--everything he was trying was modern civilian medicine. A place that ran off of it would probably kill them. He needed someone who _knew_ what the hell was wrong.

Sasuke Uchiha needed help.

- - - -

"So we need what?"

"Shut up and listen! Do you _want_ them to die?"

"No, no! Of course not! I--"

"Naruto," he growled, clutching Sakura to his chest. She whimpered, faintly struggling against him. With every weakening spasm, Sasuke's dread grew deeper. He didn't even _know_ how Minamino was faring. Some selfish part of him wanted him to kick it, but he knew a death would wind up in an investigation. Something he could well do without. Gesturing to Shuichi's body, he started walking to the door. Naruto sucked down his protests and obeyed.

Silently, they weaved their way down the path towards the road. The chipper air bit and tore at Sasuke's face, but he simply pulled the blanket tighter around the girl and trudged on. Every footstep echoed in his mind.

"Where are we going?"

_I don't know. _

"Just shut up and keep moving."

_I really don't know. _

He felt helpless, holding his dying companion. Where was he supposed to go? Who was going to fix her? What even happened in the first place? Frustration consumed him, sending waves of energy to his legs. Where ever he had to go, he had to go fast. His heart beat faster, his breath caught in his throat. Mindless panic streamlined commands in his head. _Sakura is dying! She's dying, dammit! Can't walk--run... _

Without warning, Sasuke broke out into a wild dash, surging forward. He clutched her tighter, hoping the cooler air rushing would help take the bite off of the fever. Even if he had to run for hours, he would. Probably not even God could explain why. He didn't love her--who could? She's selfish, pig-headed, vain, pushy, loud, taxing, resilient, straightforward, practical, brave... smart... caring... devoted...

"Sasuke."

Holding onto the last of his icy exterior, Sasuke glared to his right. Naruto shifted the mop of his burden's red hair out of his eyes, peering at him with just as fierce of a glare. It was times like these that froze the oceans in his eyes.

It was times like this when Naruto was serious.

"Running around like a pansy isn't going to help Sakura," he stated, never taking his eyes off of Sasuke. With sober eyes, he continued on in a low voice.

"Even if you don't like him, Shuichi-san needs help, too. If you lose your head, they'll _die. _You have to stop and think--"

"_I AM THINKING!" _Sasuke snapped, throwing a hard punch into Naruto's face. The sudden movement shifted his load from his grasp, sending it floating from his touch. Sakura rolled to the side of the path, unraveling the blanket. Her body started seizing from the sudden exposure to the frigid temperature. Sasuke stopped, numb.

Wiping blood from his mouth, Naruto readjusted Shuichi on his back and spat. Pure venom leaked out of his eyes. Personification of caffeine he was no more--he was the embodiment of hell's fury. Thunder crackled off in the background.

"_Real_ smart thinking, teme."

Naruto crossed the distance to Sakura and leaned down. With fast and sturdy hands, he re-wrapped the blanket snuggly around her and picked her up. Grunting from the weight, he hesitated in standing straight.

"I'm taking them to the hospital."

Silence.

Steady rain began to drizzle from the trees, drenching the earth in cold sweat. More thunder erupted around them, lightning illuminating the rough trees. So unlike their friendly pines at home.

_He's actually right. _

Sasuke hung his head, listening to Naruto's footsteps start in the direction away from him. Everything was _wrong._ This whole mission--when did it start going to hell? He racked his brain for a feasible phantom to blame. Something he could retaliate against. It was just how he worked. Was it the fence? The cello? The blasted Minamino? _Where_?!

The sudden vision of their first look at the house entered his mind. Sakura was already creating lists of things to do and buy, while Naruto was gawking at the fungi growing out of the drain pipes. He simply stood there, waiting for someone to open the door. As long as the dump kept out the rain, he didn't honestly care. It was all _her_ idea to turn into a warm and dry home. He watched from the backyard, how she toiled over the walls and ceiling. How she even _touched_ the rotting stuff boggled his mind. No way was _he_ going to take a rag at walls infested with rat turd. So instead, he gathered up Naruto and trained in the backyard.

When she saw the results, she was livid. She sent them there to do a job, but of course they had to make it worse then it actually was. Steaming hot beneath the collar, she took the job from them and sent them off. _That's_ where it went wrong. Then dinner... every dinner... Instead of just trying her food, they clung desperately to instant ramen. To say Sakura was the one not focused on the mission...

The drizzle shifted into a full-fledge pounding, more thunder crackling as the clouds shifted and grated against each other. Sasuke started forward after them, using the sound of Naruto's footsteps. He was about to request taking one of them from him, but he stopped when Naruto footsteps came to an abrupt halt.

Before he even looked up, he knew what was coming. Slowly, he lifted his head to look at Naruto. His profile was all he could see, but it was enough. Naruto's ocean eyes that were so icy earlier were reduced to mere pin pricks. Every fiber in his being was sent on edge, his chakra spilling out signs of fear. Following his gaze, Sasuke spotted what he was seeing.

He knew right away what happened to Sakura.

Long twisted claws extended from grotesque arms, mangled by rotting flesh and tad-bits of hair. Its head looked smashed in from the side, part of its skull exposed with pink peeking through. Black surrounded the yellow pupils, the only color on the creature besides its dark decaying flesh. Sasuke couldn't connect any animals with this demon--the closest he could place beside it would be between a monkey, a dog, and a bat. It didn't seem to have a snout--just flaring nostrils, leaking out a dark substance. It towered over both Naruto and Sasuke, staring down at them over its nonexistent nose. From its bone structure, Sasuke could tell it normally ran on four legs.

Ugly as the place it came from, it looked like it just escaped by means of a meat grinder.

Making unearthly noises in its throat, it dropped down on four legs and started to pace slowly, observing. However big it was, it didn't produce footsteps. Deep down, Sasuke might have forgiven Shuichi--as he had seemed to have protected Sakura from _it _somewhat. He felt every hair on his body rise, his God-given sense of fear kicking in. It wasn't _natural_, this thing, it was out of place. And it was very bad. Sasuke felt his reality was slapped in the face with this blotch of hell. Everything was telling him to _run_.

The mere _presence_ of the being deadened the air, draining the natural air-borne chakra. Tilting its head upward, it started sucking in volumes of air. Pausing, then faster, more excited intakes.

Then it laughed.

- - - -


	5. The fear of pink

_I promise it will get happy soon! This isn't supposed to be rivaling Don't Touch Me in angst! -.- _

- - - -

Naruto stepped back, shaking visibly. His breathing was erratic, sending short puffs of fog into the night. Slowly, he jerked his head towards Sasuke.

"What...do...we...do?" He whispered, clutching both Sakura and Minamino tightly.

The demon stopped its hideous laughing, glaring down at Naruto. It seemed offended that he had_ dared_ to make noise while he was preparing to eradicate them. The yellow in its eyes dimmed to grey, a foretelling warning sign to anyone who _knew_.

Breaking from the solid stance it was holding, it surged forward, still silent. Halting in front of Naruto, it stepped back and lunged at the same time, aiming sickle shaped claws at Naruto's throat. A strangled cry escaped his lips, but he couldn't move.

Sasuke bit his tongue, willing his body to move. He remembered from the Chuunin exams something similar, when fear overrode his system. As he tasted the copper tang, he realized he _had_ been letting fear control him from the very start. Actually, he was letting all of his emotions dictate his actions--the cello, dinner, Minamino... Kicking off of the ground with a kunai, Sasuke set himself back into an objective mind state. He'd kill this _thing_, get those two to a hospital, and take a long, cold shower.

He threw the kunai first, breaking the beast's forward thrust at Naruto. It deflected off of bone, sliding neatly into the ground. Soundlessly, it shifted its attention to Sasuke.

_That's right, bastard. Just TRY me! _

Throwing his hands into seals, he produced chakra and shouted, "_Katon! Goukakyuu no Jutsu!_" Fire erupted forth, enveloping the area. Sasuke hoped his blonde friend had the good sense to get the hell out of the way. Flipping backwards, he searched for movement. _Whatever_ this thing was, it was _fast_.

Landing squarely on a tree branch, Sasuke grasped his right arm with his left, preparing to summon up Chidori. Flashes of chakra began to crackle and whine around his hand.

_Where are you... come on... _

The rain continued steamrolling into the ground, reducing sounds and movement. It was chillingly calm.

A glimmer of shinning bone flashed from behind him, flying fast. Sasuke sidestepped out of the way. Even if he was able to dodge it, the creature managed to gauge his side, sending painful spasms through him. He swallowed his cry, getting ready.

The demon's missed lunge put him in the perfect position for Chidori.

Grunting, Sasuke shifted his weight on the branch and fell at the beast, depending on gravity to get him there. The beast's head whipped around, giving him an emotionless stare. Its grey eyes swallowed Sasuke, the black surrounding the pupil drowning him in the familiar fear. He shut his eyes and put his best hand forward.

Feeling the chilly air surrounding it, Sasuke opened his eyes and screamed.

"_CHIDORI!" _

Feeling the impact, Sasuke called forth more chakra. He needed to make sure he burned this beast from the inside out. Anger swelled into his system.

_You ugly son of a bitch! _

Sasuke pushed forward, sending his arm deeper into the demon. He let out everything he had--all of his pent up emotions, his guilt, his fear, his hatred--he let the creature have it _all._ Sakura's mangled body flashed through his mind, reminding him what this thing had truly done. Gritting his teeth, he took his left hand started sending chakra-infused punches.

Underneath Sasuke, it lay unmoving, seeming unable to feel anything. From an angle, it continued to stare up at Sasuke, decaying flesh falling off in clotted patches. Burning flesh singed his nose. Nothing seemed to phase it.

"Why won't you _die!_" Sasuke let out more chakra, almost draining himself dry. The chirping produced by his jutsu overpowered the tempest's booming thunder and rain.

Suddenly, the creature started to seize and shudder, its mouth opening and shutting silently. It continued to twitch, slowly stopping its movements to periodic jerks. It took everything in him to just hold the demon down.

Finally, it stopped. The stench was horrible

Letting out a breath, Sasuke let his shoulders sag. Chidori flickered out, leaving his hand feeling numb and hot. He fell back on his butt, completely exhausted. Holding his hands up, he was shocked to find them drenched in a black liquid, sizzling and burning from the acidity.

He shut his eyes and fainted.

- - - -

"_Sasuke...are you up yet?" _

That voice... who was it? So pretty...

_"Don't push him, Sakura, he had a tough night._"

Calm...that one is calm sounding. Was it mother? She always was so composed. Father was too gruff... No, it was too deep.

"_But, his eyes are twitching! He should be up, right? Oh, I'm so worried..._"

Sakura? She's alive? She's ok? What about the damn red head? Naruto--

"_Don't worry, Sakura! He'll be fine! I watched him knock that thing out, but I bet I could do better, I mean--_"

"Shut up, dobe. Your voice is so annoying," Sasuke grumbled, pulling himself into a sitting position. His head pounded with every heartbeat. Blinking around, he saw Sakura and Shuichi bending over him. Naruto stood at the other side of the bed, sporting bandages and an ice pack. Glaring at him for a while, he said, "You are such a chicken sh--"

"Well, good to see you're up. I was beginning to wonder."

From around the corner, an old woman's voice echoed from the hallway. She rounded the corner and stopped, crossing her arms across her chest. Sasuke squinted his eyes, peering at her hair color. Although it was faint, he could see that it was --

"Pink," Sasuke groaned, covering his face with a hand. As if he didn't get enough of the color.

"Yes, I did once have pink hair. Almost as bright as the girl's here," she said, looking at Sakura. Frowning, she glared at the red head.

"Why did you let her out of bed? I thought I told you she shouldn't move. If I didn't know better, Kurama, you were _trying_ to--"

"Wait, back up! Why did you call Shuichi Kurama?" Naruto jumped, pointing an indignant finger at the old lady. She ignored him.

Kurama, shaking his head, gently moved Sakura back over to her bed. She went willingly, enjoying the warmth from his chest. After making sure she was properly snuggled into the blankets, he straight and cleared his throat.

"Right, then. I think it is time we cleared some things up."

- - - -

"So, your name is actually Kurama, the old lady is Genkai, and we were attacked by a demon?" Naruto held his hand up, his face set in concentration. Faint burn marks peeked through the bandages, but it appeared they were already healing fast. Kurama noticed this with curiosity. Nodding, he gestured to Genkai.

"She is a brilliant martial artist, and has expert control over her spirit energy--equivalent to your charka. Genkai found us all near her home, luckily," he murmured, giving Genkai a grateful look. She nodded, turning towards her guests.

"How rude, Kurama. You never introduced me to the people I spent so much energy in saving."

"I'm NARUTO UZUMAKI! I--"

"Naruto! Now _that's_ what rude is! You can't just scream your name at people! Oh, for petes sake, take your freaking foot off her table! I swear, y--"

"Che. Idiots."

Kurama sighed, running a hand through his hair. He gave Genkai an apologetic look. Finally, he cleared his throat, effectively silencing the room.

"As Uzumaki-san so proclaimed, he is indeed Naruto. The lovely girl with pink hair is Haruno Sakura, and the one who just woke up is Uchiha Sasuke. Forgive me, I thought I had mentioned their names earlier."

Genkai simply nodded, peering at each of the newcomers in turn. Finally, she shut her eyes and clicked her tongue.

"Kurama, you never said you knew shinobi. Why didn't you say so in the first place? It would have made healing them a heck of a lot faster."

The four deadpanned.

- - - -

Picking apart the tangles in her hair, Sakura sighed as she watched Sasuke give Kurama death glares. With Naruto already knocked out from overexertion, she was left alone with two bags of walking testosterone. At least _he_ was filled with nothing but caffeine. It made dealing with his mood swings _so_ much better to deal with. Just give the kid a bowl of ramen and he shuts right up.

Sasuke was different.

She had no _idea_ what shuts him up.

Partially because he never talked, but it didn't dim that he was hard to deal with. What _did_ make him happy? Would offering his elder brother on a shiskabob appease him? Would _anything_ ever make him happy?

Giving up on her hair, she sighed forcefully and shifted her feet over the side of the bed, getting ready to get up.

"Sakura-san, you shouldn't move just yet. The side effects from the demon's blood getting into your system haven't worn off yet. Genkai would be very displeased if she found you up and walking," Kurama warned, making notes in a green notebook. From where Sakura was lying, she could guess it was his Biology homework.

Smiling, Sakura waved him off, replying, "Ah, I'll be fine. I feel much better! My arm is all healed up, and--"

"That doesn't negate the fact you were three sheets to dead yesterday. Please lay back down."

Huffing, Sakura swiveled her feet back into the covers, pulling them up to her chin. For someone who was _also_ about dead yesterday, Kurama seemed quite fine, and no one was yelling at _him_ to lie still under hot covers!

The ceiling lacked an overhead fan, their only source of cool air coming from an open window. Unfortunately, the natural AC seemed broke today. Sunlight streamlined down, heating everything it touched. Sakura just _happened_ to be in the direct path of the sun's killer death rays of hell. She twisted and turned under the heavy blanket, wishing she could be lying in snow instead. Crickets chirped noisily outside.

She was bored.

Glancing over at Sasuke, Sakura noticed the same bland expression on his face, sweat forming on his brow. Even while lying in bed, staring kunai at Kurama, he still had that mysterious charm. She followed his line of vision, landing on Kurama. Now _that_ one was an interesting one. Sakura _knew_ why she liked Sasuke, but Kurama... she had no idea what was attracting her to him.

Could it be his devilish good looks? His polite demeanor? His intelligence? Or simply the fact his was the polar opposite of Sasuke?

Sighing wistfully, she turned away from them both, deciding instead to stare out the window. Guys were _so_ much trouble...

"Bored, are we?"

Sakura looked over her shoulder, seeing Kurama smiling with an amused eyebrow raised. Sunlight brought out his highlights in his hair, giving him a dazzling fiery halo. Concern and humor radiated in his eyes.

Oh.

So _that_'s why she liked him.

- - - -

Sakura gaped at Genkai, not believing her ears.

_Did she just say what I thought she said?! _

"Excuse... me?" Gulping, Sakura backed up, looking for something to hold on to. Genkai smiled, shaking her head. She crossed her arms.

"You heard me. I said I am going to train you. Your control over your spirit energy is nearly perfect. You don't know how many techniques you can master if you only tried."

"But, Genkai-san! Sasuke or even Naruto are probably better--"

"No. I want _you._"

"But, I--"

Kurama's voice drifted from the garden, warm and sweet.

"Sakura, it would behoove you to take up her offer. Not many chances like these come around everyday, you know."

Snorting, Genkai replied in a voice cracking with humor, "Well, not many students come around like they used too. Not any ones worth looking at, at least."

Sighing, Sakura glanced at the tiny woman, taking in her features. She knew looks can be deceiving, but this? She _barely _made it above her waist, with so many wrinkles and--

"Don't worry, I'm not dead yet."

Sakura eeped, mortified that she was caught. Was she being so blatant about it? Oh, geez...

Looking back at the old lady, she saw a sly smile crawl across her withered face. In her eyes, a small pool of fire burned, testament to the fiery soul housed within. Although it looked like the woman could be slouching, closer inspection revealed she was standing very erect. Underneath her traditional Gi, her body was toned and shaped by years of training.

Then something struck her. Sakura could feel almost no Chakra from her--unusual even for people with low chakra. She had to be hiding it.

That was why she consented.

- - - -

"Bye, Genkai-ba--"

"Naruto! Don't be rude! You can't go around--ohUMP!"

Sakura landed in the dirt hard, sending dried pine needles flying. She spat the debris out of her mouth and around, embarrassed. Curious, she glanced around to see what she tripped on.

"You know, Sakura, if you keep on falling over your own two feet like that, how do you ever expect to get stronger? You're pathetic," Sasuke sneered, crossing his arms. Hair fell over half of his face, hiding the hot glare he was sending towards Kurama. Sakura sprang to her feet with practiced grace and stood in front of his line of vision.

"_You._"

She clenched her fist, keeping her rage under check. It wouldn't be good to unwire in front of her new sensei. Heat encased her body, her mind wrapped in rage. _No one_ told her she was pathetic. Keeping her back as straight as possible, she looked him square in the eye and raised an infuriated eyebrow.

"Strike two, _Uchiha._"

- - - -


	6. Pink scale

_Ok, gonna wrap this one up in a few chapters. So much fun to write. Thank you for the reviews, I had no idea I'd have to go this far. Probably wouldn't have without them. PS Major fluff ahead. To make up for the angst in Don't Touch me, I guess. God, it made me blush so much to write it. First time, you know. Don't own Naruto or Yu Yu Hakusho. Don't own my soul either, I suppose, or else I wouldn't be doing this. PS#2 if you don't know what a scale is, shame on you and shame on your school. _

_

* * *

_

Sakura dropped her bag.

Correction. Sakura _threw _her bag to the floor in blazing fury.

In her mind, she was riding every possible explanation to this situation. After all, cellos didn't _break_ themselves. Who the _hell_ did this? What would possess someone to take a two thousand dollar instrument and play baseball with it?! What sane person would take someone else's property--_her_ teachers property--and utterly...

Sakura snapped her fingers against the wall. Without a second thought, she reopened her door and slammed it behind her. Her jade eyes lightened their hue, bordering on a translucent icy green. The stairs loomed before her, offering an obstacle between her and her prey. Instead of steamrolling down them, she hopped over the railing and sailed down, her landing creating a pleasant boom in the house.

Massaging her fist, she crossed the living room rounded the corner, stopping at the sliding glass doors. Outside, Sasuke and Naruto were doing pushups, bickering about something.

_Fucking idiots_.

She took her hand and smashed it against the glass, pushing it aside. Inside, she almost wanted it to break, but that would be a mess. Standing there at her destination, Sakura looked at the ground next to her feet. Slowly, she lifted her head and stared directly at Sasuke. In a slow and venomous voice, she uttered very low her death warrant.

"_Strike three, Uchiha._"

Gracefully floating across the yard, Sakura stopped in front of Sasuke and bent down. Her nose was inches away from his.

"Absolutely _no one_ calls my food trash when they haven't tried it. _No one_ calls me weak if they haven't taken me on. And positively absolutely _no fucking one _goes into my room and _destroys my fucking property!_"

Lifting her hand, she brought it down as hard as she could across his face. The noise crackled in the air, leaving the air devoid of sound for minutes afterward.

Picking herself up, Sakura pivoted around and crossed the yard.

- - - -

Dinner was silent that night.

Naruto wasn't used to this silence--even at home he found ways to keep his apartment from being soundless. It unnerved him. As he watched Sasuke chew slowly, Naruto realized none of them had spoken a word since _the incident_. He sighed. How long was this going to go on?

Silverware clanked against the porcelain plates, sounding sharp and loud in the void. Every little noise felt like it was going to bust his eardrums. Gently, Naruto put his fork down, not wanting to add to the war of shrill sounds in the air. He picked up his drink and sipped it, looking over the edge at the food. It turned out to be pretty good, despite it's odd texture and taste. From his dusky memory banks, he recalled it to be called 'spaghetti,' or something like that. Even if it did involve noodles, it was _defiantly_ not ramen.

Finally, Sakura pushed her plate aside and stood up. Wordlessly, she scooted the chair back into place and walked away. No one asked her where she was going.

- - - -

"Why does he _hate_ me so much?" Sakura cried, cuddling into Kurama's broad chest. Smiling, he wrapped his arms securely around her and offered his jacket for her use. Nodding, she heartily blew her nose into it, thanking him with a few nods of her head. Sighing, Kurama sat down on the bench, motioning for her to sit next to him. Still slightly sniffling, she plopped down on his lap.

Kurama held his chuckle, instead running her fingers through the locks of her hair. It was so different from the dyed and primped hair of the other girls, who go so much out of their way to destroy what was already fine. So vastly different, was this Sakura Haruno.

"I do not think he dislikes you, Sakura," he breathed, kissing the top of her head. She looked up from his shoulder, her eyes shimmering with tears.

"He completely demolished my cello! My _teacher_'s cello! How can he _not_ hate me?"

With another warm smile, Kurama leaned down and took her lips in his own, gently sucking on them. She opened them slightly, her head feeling light as his tongue entered her mouth and made contact with her own. Why couldn't the guys at home be like this? To just take girls in their laps and kiss them 'till the pain goes away? She shut her eyes and languished in the moment.

Finally, Kurama broke away, leaning down further to the delicate portion of her neck. He kissed her skin gently, breathing a hot trail of kisses to her ear. Breathlessly, he whispered her name, giving her another solid kiss to her temples.

"How could hate anyone as beautiful as you?"

Speechless, Sakura turned and shyly touched her lips to his cheek, not sure what to say to that. Nothing but the intense pounding of her heart penetrated her thoughts. Really, had anyone ever called her beautiful and kissed her so lovingly? Why couldn't the guys be like this at home indeed. She'll just _have_ to take him home.

_Home_...

The thought struck Sakura like a heavy lead pan dropped from a roof. Would she _really_ have to go back? Back to being the third wheel?

Kurama lifted her, making her eyes level with his own.

"Something else is bothering you."

Sakura turned away, slightly stunned at his ability to read her so well. Sighing, she nodded, wiping a fallen tear from her face.

"I don't want to go home," she mumbled, pulling herself closer to him on his lap. The wind was gently nipping at her, the moon starting to float above the trees like soap suds on dishwater. Even the breeze was more inviting than the harsh gusts at home. Kurama's bright laughter broke the cheerful air.

"Not thinking of running away with me, are you?"

Sakura jumped in his lap, her shock evident on her face.

"What? I--I--no! I can't do that! My mom--and--and--missions--!"

Kurama placed a quick kiss on her lips.

"Just joking with you, love. Now, I think I can help you," he cooed, tugging his jacket off. While gently setting her feet on the ground, he pulled it over her shoulders and stood upright. Almost immediately she enveloped him again. Kurama laughed, using his foot against the bench to keep himself upright. Under his chin, he felt her laughing along with him.

Nothing could ever compare to the happy leap his heart made in his chest.

- - - -

_Amazing,_ she thought, watching his strange plant put back the last fragment of wood. Tiny vines emerged from the rest of the cello and snagged the piece, weaving it back into place. Suddenly, the instrument shuddered, vines escaping out the bottom and returning to the seed in which they first peered from.

"That was totally cool, Kurama," she whispered, picking up her instrument to examine it. It felt exactly the same as it had before.

"No problem. If there is anything else Uchiha-san has 'impaired,' I can quickly assess that as well."

"Oh, no! The cello is all! Hey, I know! Let me play something for you! Just give me a sec, I have to tune it," Sakura said as she leaped for her bow, brimming with sudden inspiration. Tightening it briskly, she set it back aside and plucked her strings, making quick adjustments using the pegs. After doing the act so many times, she was getting pretty decent at it. Even _Ms Sears_ said so. And that woman never gave much praise. Animal-loving hockey nut, yes, but loving and praising teacher--not. For the class to receive a word of good will from her it would take something next to _God_.

Propping the cello up between her knees, she brought the bow over the strings and placed her fingers on the fingerboard, smiling. She looked up at Kurama, simple happiness pouring out of her eyes from her soul.

"I'm not that good, but Ms Sears says if I practice, I can do it. Just don't laugh, ok?"

Kurama chuckled.

"I would not dare. Please continue."

Sakura nodded. Taking a deep breath, she lifted the bow in the air and put it back down. It was a ritual she developed, special to her alone. Such a small gesture, but it helped calm her nerves somehow. Finally, she picked a note out of the air in her mind, visualizing what the first sound be like. Grimacing, she tugged her bow across the strings and hoped for the best.

Deciding it was _enough_ of that note, she moved on to the next one, progressing up the C major scale. Born from her clenched hands was a second note, slightly wobbly compared to her first. Sakura panicked, quickly moving onto the third note of the scale. Her eyes widened as it turned out to be sharp, turning her beautiful scale into a freakish mutant mode of nature.

Her eyebrows rose almost into her hairline as she skipped the fourth note completely, her bow sliding over to the G string.

_Oh, no! I forgot F! Should I go back? _

Biting her lip, Sakura hit her missed note briefly before going onto the sixth note. Dread spread again as this note _also_ turned out to be a warped version of an musical sound. Cursing at herself, she dropped back to G, deciding that she didn't need to get to the top of the scale. Then she played the F again, dismayed when her hand slipped and a random B flat erupted from her instrument. Sakura paused, not sure what she was suppose to do next. Figuring _something_ had to get done, she played the bottom note--an open C. It rang with intensity, echoing against the walls and inching up the hallway. Sakura smiled devilishly, relishing in the pure majestic sound.

Finally, she looked up, grinning from ear to ear. Kurama was smiling thoughtfully, a hand resting under his chin. Sakura was about to ask a question, but a shadow rose from the doorway. Her eyes left Kurama's handsome face to peer at the figure in the doorway.

Onyx eyes were glaring back at her.

* * *


End file.
